Pittsfield, Massachusetts, the largest city in the Berkshire Hills (population 45,000), is the governmental, commercial and transportation center of Berkshire County.

Located 136 miles (219 km) west of Boston, 40 miles southeast of Albany NY, and 151 miles (243 km) north of New York City (map), it is easily reached by interstate highways, train and bus. More...

For people living in the Berkshires, Pittsfield is the county seat, the town with the largest shopping centers, the most important court houses, the Amtraktrain station and regional bus service, and other important services.

Pittsfield has an interesting history. Water power from the many creeks flowing into the Housatonic River brought commerce and industry,
helping Pittsfield to
grow into the largest town in the Berkshire
Hills.

The Merino
sheep brought from Spain in 1807 provided
the raw material to make Pittsfield the center of
woolen manufacturing in the United States.

In 1891 Pittsfield electrical entrepreneur
William Stanley produced the first
electric transformer,
giving
birth
to a company later to be known as General
Electric.

As with so many New England towns, changing
trade and commerce patterns took away many
of Pittsfield's sources of wealth later
in the 20th century, so the city redefined
itself as the commercial and cultural center
of the Berkshires, although the large SABIC Innovative Plastics factory on the east side of the city still provides many jobs.

The historical contrast between Pittsfield, a typical New England town of creative, hard-working, innovative, striving commercial men and women, and the retiring, thrifty, artistic, religious, abstemious folk of Hancock
Shaker Village is striking. More....